Corin immediately kickflipped to his feet swaying as he found he's upper body balance again, like he hadn't taken any damage for Josen's last attack, but that wasn't truly he reach into his inventory pulling out a blade it was quite big with a curved sharpened edge and a straight side perfect for hatching it was grey and misty like shadows clawing out of it, he stepped forward slowly as josen unsheathed his blade.
not the golden one I assumed it had some magic quality about it ?
it was a new blade a simple katana but with a wield set of rounded slots there were orbs on them, five to be exact they had multiple colours and lights, Josen gripped the handle the blue tied in all around the blade he head it close to his forehead as if saying a prayer, before they both charged, their swords clashed Corin's shadows gripping on to Josen blade as fire consumed them Josen charged forward, sending a kick to Corin's knee before sending a horizontal slash directly to Corin's neck, Corin leaped back sword before sending multiple shadow swords towards Josen, Josen teleported past each one before blimping behind Corin.
He has teleportation?
Josen tried a downward stab but Corin teleported behind Josen stunning him in place.
"We really aren't that different huh old friend, but–" Corin mutters
He tried an axe kick which was barely blocked by Josen's sheath Josen tilted his blade sending a gut of fire straight at Corin's face, who barely dodged it is floating back to avoid it before he could move Josen's send an arched fire slash which grazed Corin's chest giving drawing first blood.
"He got him, he got him", guests and drakovich elders watch the first in astonishment
"His skills are overseeding an S rank? didn't we all see the ranking? What training has he done to wield such a blade" a minor house member muttered from his seat causing more muttering and whispers about the surprise overtake in strength
The white robed man tried to diffuse the situation by interjecting the conversation
"the next round is a full magic round and the young man can't use magic and has no access to resonance beyond his weapons so either way he will losing this fight and plus I'm sure my grandson
He paused there looking down at the dome
Staring at a kneeling corin with a look close to annoyance and hint of fear
just has a cold he would have surely won the first round" the man finished
he smiled with his eyes closed the other just nodded not trying to get on his bad side
Corin staggered to his feet, his chest heaving as blood splurged from it his skin stung from the burn it wasn't a deep blow, but it did considerable damage, Corin gritted his teeth, he stretches out his sword, he spoke with conviction his voice was deep and rigid.
"[System skill]"
shadow bloom"
shadows all around twisted in formed from his blade they split into many creatures and multiple humanoids spread from his own shadows and became clones of him, Josen pulled out one of his pair dagger, the fiery violet surged forward with Josen he charged straight for the Corin's main body.
Corin faded as Josen's dagger touch his next clone they began to blimp around him so much josen couldn't concentrate, send combinations of poison and fire slashes which the clones twisted around the reformed again. He backpedaled taking deep breathes trying to notice differences in each clone they all looked the same their expressions and breather where all in sync, except one.
Josen blimped behind him sending a slash towards Corin's neck missing it by centimetres he threw his dagger before rushing behind it then he blimped above corin's head, he kept constant movement before dropkicking him into the ground, he caught his dagger and threw it at corins head but corins form turned to shadows
He can swap places with his clones? hes arsenal's becoming more annoying damn it, i guess I have to use it my trump card
Josen gripped his katana he took a shaky breath before blitzing Corin with pure speed he gripped Corin's arm pointed his dagger at his face before speaking one word.
"scatter"
The shadows flew backward the power so strong it ripped and tore through them, most where now dangly and Corin got shocked once again force field he blimped Infront of Corin landing a flurry of gut punches each causing another shock as corin's back peeling against the field he body grew bloodier, Josen launched an overhead but was flung away by a rope, a rope of blood Corin gripped one the other end which had turned into a giant scythe.
Blood?, but how could thi–? Wait don't tell me it wasn't?
His brain racked trying to figure out , then he recalled when he peaked at Corin's stats he saw his subclass was the perfect body bandit, how did he forget the most powerful subclass for assassin's, giving proficiency in martial techniques, Sword fighting, blood magic, and shadow magic, it was one of the strongest subclasses' the system could offer
"So, you've been holding back on me, how rude i must say" Josen teased, wiping the blood from his sheath
They charged forward, Corin sliced forward at Josen neck, he leaned lean back placing his foot at the tip of the grip before pivoting off it and landing his shin flush on Corin's face Causing him to spin through the air, Josen charged again preparing for a palm strike, Corin dissolved into shadows appearing behind Josen smashing him down to the ground he appeared Infront his him preparing a slash from above Josen lean forward his arm devoid of weapons, before Corin could ponder, he felt his veins freeze, he was stuck he could move he had no idea what Josen had just done.
"Formless fang: pulse lock"
He took a step back his arm straightens his hand it Infront of Corin's chest in place of his heart he motions like the one Corin took in the first round
"one inch punch"
Corin's heart rumbled in agony repeatedly he was sent flying twenty maybe forty feet back, he was down Josen stood up to survey the damage but he froze, he looked down at his chest he had landed a slash causing huge gash across his body explodes in agony, he collapses to his knees and both of them were out. It was a tie
The same automated voice came again, it's dead monotone voice: "round two over, round three begin"